Arion to build Swash-factory on Avantis – Naebers re-invests

Limburg fast growing healthcare innovation company to build new Swash-factory on Dutch-German business park.

Healthcare innovation company Arion is the third company that chooses the cross-border location on Avantis. Arion developed the washing-without-water concept that makes the use of towels, soap, wash basins, washcloths and moisturiser in healthcare redundant. On the border of Heerlen and Aachen Arion will build new premises. It concerns an area of 15.000 square meters, of which 8.000 m2 is initially built on; the remainder will be reserved for the growth in the near future. The property will consist of a cleanroom of 1000 m2 for the production of Swash, 1.500 m2 of office space and 3.000 m2 of logistics area. The new building is necessary to accommodate planned growth in the coming years. Arion now employs 100 people and realised a turnover of 7 million Euro last year. In the coming years the number of people will grow to more than 200, and the turnover will become more than fivefold.

New Premises

The new premises will be built by Naebers Onroerend Goed. The building will be literally built on the Dutch-German border, which fits perfectly with the Dutch and German ambitions of Arion and its ultimate goal to become market leader in Swash across Europe. The investment is estimated at 8 million Euro of which approximately half is intended for the property and the other half for the growing need for plant machinery. In the short term Arion will grow from the current 2 production lines to 7. Construction will start next autumn. The intention is that Arion moves to the new location at the end of 2015.

About Arion and Swash

Arion is an innovative company which has been active in the market of healthcare aids in over 40 countries worldwide for 20 years. The international company has offices in the US, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain en will soon be opening more offices in Europe. The company, founded in 1994 by Erik Joosten from Maastricht, Netherlands responds to the increasing aging in the healthcare sector. It has developed innovative healthcare products such as aids for putting on and pulling off compression stockings and products with which one can wash patients without water (SWASH).

In 2009 management decided to focus only on its own products and to say goodbye to all external commercial products.

Arion is already market leader in the Netherlands and Spain with SWASH and well on its way to conquer Germany and Denmark.

A couple of weeks ago the media reported on the first large scale study in the Netherlands which shows that washing-without-water is a safe and enjoyable alternative for patients and caregivers, which moreover brings an efficiency gain to the institutions. The market for washing-without-water in both the Netherlands and Europe has enormous growth potential.

Avantis

Cross-border business-park Avantis is situated on the border of the municipalities Heerlen and Aachen and was built in 2000. The business park is owned by the Dutch municipality Heerlen, Industriebank LIOF, the German city of Aachen and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Earlier this year, Europe’s fast growing internet pharmacy DocMorris also announced its move to the business-park. After Solland Solar and Avantec (German company of Naebers Elektro Techniek) Arion is the third company that builds exactly on the German-Dutch border on the business-park Avantis.

PRESS STATEMENTS

Erik Joosten, director Arion: “With Avantis we have a cross-border situation which is optimal for supplying the European market. As well as a position which offers the ideal conditions for further expansion with which we can handle the growing volumes in the

long- term. Our strategy is to be European market leader in five years with our product “washing-without-water”: SWASH. With Avantis we are taking a big step toward the future”.

Marcel Philipp, Major of Aachen: “For Avantis, the arrival of the fast growing Arion is not just a prominent newcomer, but also proof of the versatile conditions which the park offers different industries. Proof that Avantis and the municipalities Heerlen and Aachen are starting to pay off”.

Martin de Beer, alderman of Heerlen: “Before opting for Avantis, Arion did research into various locations in the South of Limburg. The international character of the business park and the available land for the growth of the company have contributed strongly to Arion’s decision to choose Avantis business-park as its new location. In particular, the position on the border with Germany is essential for Arion. It is one building with a Dutch and a German address. With the arrival of Arion Heerlen gains a new employer and new jobs will be created. We welcome Arion and look forward to the cooperation”.

Manfred Sicking, Avantis Business-Park: “In a relatively short time Arion is the third company, after DocMorris and Deutsche Post DHL that announces its intent to settle on Avantis. We managed to make the business park Avantis attractive for companies. With the arrival of Arion we gain a Limburg family business on our business park which potentially makes Avantis attractive for even more family businesses. After DocMorris Arion is the second company on Avantis with health related products. The flexibility of our marketing concept has proven its value. More and more international companies in logistics, communication and recently care know how to find us.

Avantis is on the right track!”

Marcel Naebers, Naebers Onroerend Goed: “Arion, who invests in growth and products and not in land and buildings was looking for a real estate partner. Partly because real estate company Naebers Onroerend Goed was able to offer a solution for both project development, financing and construction this project can be realised”.

The parties have been brought together by successful mediation of Mark Jorritsma. Now that we have completed the preparation, after a good cooperation with Arion and Avantis, we will start building very soon to enable Arion to move to the new premises end of next year.